Improvement in fire-escapes



|.. m. GHIPLEY.

Fire- Escapes. No, 145,844, Patented Dec. 23,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT v OFFICE.

LUCIE'N M. OHIPLEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

iMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,844., datedDecember 33, 1873; application filed No mber 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIEN M. OHIPLEY, of St. Louis, Missouri,have madeand invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The invention relates to fire-escapes; and consists in constructing awindow-shutter in the form'of a ladder, which is jointed at its theformer construction will usually be found to be the more effective, asit is less likely to be rendered inoperative by causes that produceexpansion and contraction. When necessary, the lower fold or sect-ion isarranged with relation to the upper part of a shutter of likeconstruction below and in line with it, so that the-lowest round of theladder, when opened and in place, will be directly above the top of theshutter below, whereby a continuous ladder, extending from the highestwindow to the ground, may be formed. A wire or fire-proof cord isattached to and controls the catches that hold the parts of the upperwindows, the lower end of which depends in proximity to the top of thewindow below. The cord being drawn, the catches are released when theshutters are drawn open, and the lower fold or section falls or slidesinto place of its own weight, resting upon steps provided to prevent itscoming in contact with the wall. The ladder may thus be formed from theground upward.

The entire device I prefer to construct of metal, and the window-casingsmay also be metallic, to render the whole as nearly fireproof aspracticable. The details of construction and other matters will morefully appear hereinafter.

The object of the invention is to provide a fire-escape of convenientform, which, while always ready for use and not liable to get out oforder, can be easily and rapidly operated by parties within the buildingas well as by those outside, which is peculiarly adapted to resist theaction of fire, and at the same time eminently a safe and ready means ofingress and egress to and from the building to which it is applied.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying the elements of theinvention in its operative condition as applied to windows in the wallof a building. Fig. 2 is a side or edge view of same. Fig. 3 is a sideView of the catch F on the rod E. Fig. 4. is a section through the lineas a, showing also a portion of the wall and the shoulders n on thesteps I. Fig. 5 isa side view of the step L.

A A are window-casings of ordinary construction, preferably of metal,which, as is usual, are in line one above the other. The frames of theshutters B B are hinged to the casings A A and swing horizontally likeordinary outside shutters. They consist of a folding-ladder, composed oftwo parts, D D, hinged or jointed, at their lower ends, to swingvertically. The fold or section D is conformed in size to the fold orsection D which constitutes the frame of the shutter, or which may beattached thereto. To the fold or section D is attached, in any suitablemanner, the sliding rod E, the base of which is in the form of an elbow,which projects inward, and is provided with an eye, a, and rests againstthe spring I). The upper extremity of the rod or slide E is providedwith a double catch, F, one end of which, 0, is notched, and which,

projecting inward, has its upper edge beveled,

and is used to hold the fold D in place, when the apparatus is not inuse, a slot, 0, being out in the fold D to permit it to fit over the end0 of the catch F, being held securely by the notch therein. The otherend of the catch F projects outward through a slot in the shutter D, andis carried upward and reduced to a point, g, which fits an aperture inthe staple G that is attached to the wall in such position that, whenthe shutter is open, the point 9 will co-operate with the aperture inthe staple G and hold the shutter, as shown.

The upper extremity of the rod E projects A above the upper edge of theshutter, and is used to hold the shutter when closed, an aperture ofsuitable form and dimensions being cut in the upper side of the casin gof the window to receive it. In the eye a is fastened a wire or metalliccord, H, which depends through the lower slot in the fold D, so that itsend hangs in proximity to the top of the window below, a notch, h, beingcut in the windowsill to permit the cord to be operated when theshutters are closed. Directly below the shutters, when open, and in linetherewith, are the steps I, which are firmly secured to the wall of thebuilding in such positions that, when the fold D is let down, it willfit snugly within them, and at the same time be held away from the wall,and so that it will not swing laterally, to more fully effect which thepart D may be provided with notches n, in which the steps I will alsofit. Upon either side of the windowcasing handles K are appropriatelyplaced to assist in ingress and egress.

The apparatus may be applied to the shut ters upon one or both sides ofthe windows; and it may be applied, in part, to one side, as in thepresent instance, the sliding rod E and its incidents being used onlyupon the closing shutters. \Vhen so applied steps L should be attachedto the wall near the middle of the other shutters, when opened, toprevent their coming in contact with the side of the buildll] g.

The invention is designed especially to be applied to windows that arein line, one above the other, and each window is provided with the partsabove described, arranged with relation to each other. The section orfold D, therefore, should be of sufficient length to nearly span thedistance between the lower edge of its shutter, and the upper edge ofthe shutter below, so that when it is let down a continuous ladder fromwindow to window will be formed.

If preferred, the fold or part D may be arranged so that it will slideinto place or turn upon a pivot, the catches and other parts beingconformed accordingly.

A desirable form of shutter I construct of two pieces, preferably sheetsof metal, in which are cut the horizontal slots I, and which are joinedto move vertically, and so arranged that, when the lower piece iscarried up and secured against the other piece, the solid parts Q of theformer will cover the slots Pin the latter, and, when let down, formaladder, as is particularly shown at Fig. 2.

In the construction of the device, the sections D D may be made in anyconvenient form without sacrificing the objects of the invention. Slatsmay be attached, and the shutter, as a whole, so arranged as to fullyeffect all its offices, as well as those more particularly enumeratedand described as pertaining to the fire-escape herein mentioned.

It is obvious that the upper and lower shutters on the same side, whenin their open position, may be connected by a ladder of appropriatelength, and secured to the wall vertically between said shutters. In theevent of the employment of this expedient it is'necessary to employ onlythe folds of the shutters, which are directly hinged to the wall; and itis also to be observed that divers means of attachment, arrangement, andconstruction,other than those herein mentioned, may be successfullyemployed.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. The shuttersbeing closed, and it being desired by parties outside the building toprepare the apparatus for use, the cord H is drawn sufficiently todisengage the end of the slide E, and the shutter is drawn open. Greaterpower is then applied to the cord, which disengages the catch whichsupports the part D, when it falls into place between the steps I. Thisoperation is continued from window to window, at pleasure. To prepare itfor use from inside the building the operation is the same, except thatthe shutters are forced open by pressing the end 9 of the catch F fromabove, and the ladder formed downward.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a series of folding or sliding ladders attached towindow-shutters placed one above the other, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the fold D, staple G, and catch g, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. The combination of the folds D and D and steps I, substantially asshown and described.

4. The combination of the cord H, rod E, end 0 of catch F, and fold D,substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the cord H, rod E,

catch F with the staple G and fold D, sub- LUCIEN M. CHIPLEY.

Witnesses H. L. \VARREN, ALEX. DAVIS.

